Reframe to Create

Does weaving storytelling into your work feel like a lot?

Like a heavy lift, you don't always have time or energy for?

What if I told you there's a shortcut?

A storytelling tool that's faster, flexible, and just as powerful in most situations?

Spoiler alert: it's the analogy.

In this episode of Reframe to Create, we're building your Analogy Bank.

I can become your go-to collection of comparisons, metaphors, and visual word-pictures that help you easily explain complex ideas and connect with your audience instantly.

Analogies are the bridge.

They're the glasses and flashlight you whip out in that dim restaurant so you can finally read the menu. (Can anyone relate?) 😩

They take the foggy and make it crystal clear.

And here's the good news: you don't need to be a poet to use them well.

You just need to start noticing them, collecting them, and pulling them out when it counts.

In this episode, I'll show you:

• Why analogies are your communication superpower

• How to build your own Analogy Bank step-by-step

• A few of my favorite analogy examples that you can use

If Episode 88 helped you build your Story Bank, this one is your next move.

Grab your notebook.

It's Analogy Time!

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

Sure, you can tell your story. But what happens when you're not in the room?

Are people sharing a story about you that doesn't quite fit?

I bet you can see it now.

There's someone who believes in you. They love what you create. They want to advocate for you. But when the moment comes to share your story? They fumble. They either say nothing… or say the wrong thing.

Now you're getting opportunities that sound nothing like you—or worse, no opportunities at all.

Yikes!

In this episode, I show you how to fix that.

I walk you through how to equip your biggest fans to tell your story in the right way, to the right people, in the right rooms.

The key? A simple tool called the ABT Framework (And, But, Therefore)—which I first learned from Park Howell back in Episode 101.

When you use it well, your personal brand doesn't just sit quietly waiting for the next introduction—it starts working for you, everywhere.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why it's not enough to just tell your own story

• The real risk of letting others freestyle your narrative

• How to use the ABT Framework to shape your personal brand story

• A practical four-question exercise to map your story clearly

• The power of helping others find opportunities on your behalf

In the end, you'll learn how to make your story travel to places you haven't been and get the right opportunities back to you.

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

Creating isn't just about what you make…it's about who you become.

We're back with the brilliant Nana Brew-Hammond for her second visit to Reframe to Create, and this time, it's a full-circle moment.

In Episode 21, Nana shared "How to Stay Committed to an Imperfect Creating Journey."

And in this episode, we see how that commitment has blossomed.

Nana walks us through the very different experiences she had while writing her two latest books:

✨ Blue– a children's picture book that dives into the rich history of a single color ✨ My Parents' Marriage – an adult novel that explores the complex dynamics of family, love, and identity.

The process of creating each of these works taught Nana different things. And in this conversation, she shares two key lessons she learned along the way.

Lessons about transformation, flexibility, and what it really means to grow alongside your work.

Honestly? This conversation lit something in me. It reminded me that no matter how smooth or bumpy the road, the journey itself is doing something deep and lasting in us.

If you want to experience the joy and power of Nana's work, you can check out both books at nanabrewhammond.com.

You'll be glad you did.

About my guest: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond is an American-Ghanaian writer of novels, short stories and a poet.

In 2014 she was chosen as one of 39 of Sub-Saharan Africa's most promising writers under the age of 40, showcased in the Africa39 project. Nana has been featured on MSNBC, NY1, SaharaTV, ARISE TV, and has been published in Ebony Magazine.

Her latest novel for adult readers, My Parents' Marriage, was featured in The New York Times Book Review's July 7, 2024 "...Also Out Now" column, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Booklist, and more. The author Melissa Rivero called it "a propulsive read that will take hold of you with its honesty, determination, and heart," while the author Vanessa Walters described it as "an arrestingly evovative story…which dismantles immigrant clichés.

Her children's picture book BLUE: A history of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky, illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Daniel Minter, was named among the best of 2022 by NPR, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, The Center for the Study of Multicultural Literature, Bank Street College of Education, and more. BLUE is on the 2023-2024 Texas Bluebonnet Master List; it has been honored with the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award® recognizing excellence in writing of non-fiction for children; and it is an NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literature for Chidlren. It was named to the American Libary Association's 2023 Notable Children's Books and nominated for a 2025 Georgia Chidlren's Book Award.

Brew-Hammond also wrote the young adult novel Powder Necklace, which Publishers Weekly called "a winning debut", and she edited RELATIONS: An Anthology of African and Diaspora Voices. Kirkus Reviews called the anthology "smart, generous…a true gift" in its starred review.

Nana is also co-founder of Exit 14, a made in Ghana lifestyle line that has been featured in Vogue.

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

You've probably heard a lot of people telling you that you need a personal brand but very few are showing you "how" you can build or strengthen one.

It's all well and good to say you need a thing but how do you do it? 🫤

That's the question I'm answering for you in this episode.

It's simple.

You want to become two things.

Visible and referable.

As we dive into the how of this, I want you to think through these questions:

• What do I uniquely create that adds extreme value to the people I serve?

• Am I creating this thing or experience consistently?

• Is what I create visible beyond my organization?

• Do I have a raving fan who knows what I create and is kicking down doors in rooms I'm not in?

• Does that raving fan know how to tell the story of what I create?

In the end, you'll learn the steps you can take today to help you become visible and referable so your personal brand can go to work for you.

Are you ready to get restoried? - https://reframetocreate.com/restoried/

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

The time has come, the Walrus said…

I kid 🤣

No seriously.

The time has come to settle this matter of personal branding.

Oh, I see you over there trying to hem and haw on this matter.

Even if you've taken a step in the direction of building your personal brand, you're doing it gingerly and are not fully convinced.

Well, in this episode, I hope to put a stop to all of that!

It's time you learn exactly why personal branding is non-negotiable.

Not for those folks out there.

But for YOU.

By the end, you'll learn the two important things that having a personal brand will give you.

It's time to get it and soar!

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

Can you communicate with compelling clarity every time you speak or share a story?

Or do you feel your words sometimes fall flat, and crickets are all you're getting back from your audience?

If you fall somewhere in between these two places, then you're not alone.

We all want to communicate better- whether it's at work or in our personal lives.

We want our messages to be powerful and impactful, and come through with clarity.

But sometimes, that's a little tricky to achieve.

So what can we do?

That's where my guest, Park Howell comes in.

In this episode, Park introduces us to the ABT (And, But, Therefore) framework which won't just bring you clarity but compelling clarity.

It'll bring compelling clarity to your story, to your message, to your personal brand, your presentation, to any way you need to connect in a more powerful way and truly communicate who you are and what you create.

By the end of this episode, you'll feel equipped to communicate to any audience in a way that increases your ability to connect, build influence, and drive positive action.

If you've been a Reframe to Create listener for any amount of time, you know just how important this is, especially as you invest more effort in learning how to go beyond creating with your gifts but also being able to own and tell powerful stories about what you create.

This is the key to getting paid to be you and compelling communication is the way there!

Tune in and get ready to put this framework into action for immediate results!

About my guest:

Park Howell is known as The World's Most Industrious Storyteller having grown purpose-driven brands by as much as 600 percent. He is an EMMY Award Winning, 35+ year veteran of the advertising industry and now consults, teaches, coaches, and speaks internationally to help business, sales, and marketing leaders excel through the stories they tell.

He is the host of the popular weekly Business of Story podcast, which is ranked among the top 10% of downloaded podcasts in the world. Park published Brand Bewitchery in 2020 to help you use his proven Story Cycle System to craft spellbinding stories for your brand. In 2021, he co-authored The Narrative Gym for Business, a short 75-page guide on how to use the foundational narrative framework of the ABT (And, But, Therefore) to make you a more confident, compelling and persuasive communicator.

Course: The ABTs of Storytelling™ by Park Howell

Connect with Park:

Linkedin.com/in/ParkHowell

Twitter.com/ParkHowell

Facebook.com/Park.Howell

Instagram.com/ParkHowell

YouTube/BusinessOfStory

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

Does it feel like everyone around you is moving fast and breaking things?

We live in a hustle culture where many have the "if it's bigger, faster, and flashier, then it's always better" mentality.

Only in recent years have I begun to see a broader cultural shift toward slower and more intentional living.

I can personally attest that it's the "winning" way.

During these first 100 episodes of the podcast, I've learned to embrace the way of the turtle.

I've learned to resist the urge to compare and instead delight fully in my own journey.

A journey that was slow.

A journey that was about taking "turtle steps" and even a bit of a pause along the way.

And in this journey, I've learned 3 important things that I know you'll appreciate, especially if the loud roar of others zooming by is deafening.

If you want to try the slow and steady way and see how it can make your personal and professional life more of what you really want, then listen in for the ways I've learned that:

• Creating because it matters is enough. Even if what you create is small.

• The power of the pause to rejuvenate your creative spark

• Why consistency beats perfection every time

Getting to 100 episodes has been a goal of mine from the beginning. And I'm grateful to you for coming along with me.

What's been your slow and steady win?

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

Are you clocking what time it is?

If you've been paying any kind of attention you know that jobs and organizations are no longer loyal to the employee--if they ever were.

With mass layoffs and sudden unexplained firings, the mood is definitely "you are on your own!"

So what can you do about this?

Definitely, not curl up in a ball and cry.

Now is the time to invest in yourself so you are ready for any and all market shifts and changes.

But how can you do this?

My guest Rochelle Moulton shares her journey of doing just this over decades of putting the work of Gay Hendricks into practice by shifting from operating in her Zone of Excellence into her Zone of Genius.

This has led to exponential growth and transformation in her life and business.

Now I bet you're wondering what that is and probably wanna know what that might be for you.

We've got you!

We get into the nitty gritty so you can also get a roadmap to what steps you can take because Rochelle is committed to helping professionals like you turn your expertise into wealth.

And it starts with knowing what you do that nobody else can do the way you do.

In this episode you'll learn:

• The difference between your Zone of Excellence and your Zone of Genius and how the former may be holding you back

• Why investing in your Genius Zone is the key to exponential growth and transformation

• Practical steps you can take today to identify your Zone of Genius and discover what's calling you

After this, I know you'll be ready to step into your authority by bringing your best to your table by leaning into Zone of Genius.

To learn even more about what Rochelle shares about working in your "Zone of Genius" check out the work of Gay Hendricks, author of The Big Leap: A Guide to Transcending Personal Limits, Overcoming Fears, and Unleashing Your Authentic Greatness for a Better Life

Reference:

Rochelle Moulton's book: The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize, and Sell Your Expertise

Rochelle Moulton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochellemoulton/

Rochelle Moulton Website: https://rochellemoulton.com/

Rochelle Moulton Podcast: The Soloist Life

Reframe to Create Episode 64 - The Why and How of Building a Powerful Personal Brand | Diane Diaz

About my guest: Rochelle Moulton is on a mission to teach Soloist Consultants how to turn their expertise into "wealth", AKA revenue, free time, flexibility, and impact.

The author of The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise, she also hosts The Soloist Life podcast. She became a confirmed Soloist after leading introverted brainiacs at two powerhouse consulting firms, turning around the failing consulting arm of a Fortune 500 company and building three consulting firms from scratch—including the one she sold to Arthur Andersen for seven figures.

She, her hubby, and their adorable dog Jackson have transplanted themselves to Palm Springs where they intend to live happily ever after.

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

What if the Creativity Whisperer could cup her hand to your ear and whisper just what you need to supercharge your creativity?

Would you be all ears?

I hope so because that's who I have joining Reframe to Create for this episode.

Natalie Nixon is a Creativity strategist who helps members of the C-suite and other professionals to expand their creative competence for the advancement of innovation and work in their industries.

I came across her great insights while reading her book "The Creativity Leap". What stood out to me was her WonderRigor™ paradigm that will give you a reframe on to supercharge your creativity.

In this episode you'll learn about:

• The WonderRigor™ Paradigm and what it shows about the true nature of creativity

• Examples of the WonderRigor™Paradigm in real life among real people like you

• How a daily practice of the 3is (Inquiry, Improvisation and Intuition) can help you toggle between wonder and rigor to solve problems

Natalie's broader body of work highlights the increased role and importance creativity will play in the future of work in all industries. I hope this conversation serves as your invitation to invest more deeply in your creativity competency as you innovate and grow.

About my guest: Natalie Nixon is a Creativity strategist known as "the creativity whisperer for the C-Suite". She is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, valued for her accessible expertise on creativity, the future of work, and innovation. Natalie advises leaders on transformation to amplify growth and business value. She's also written articles on how creativity is a core competency for the future of work in many industries including finance, tech, media, and healthcare.

Follow Natalie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalienixonphd/

Website: https://www.figure8thinking.com/

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer

Are you the gift or the gift-giver?

This question made me stop and hit play on my guest's LinkedIn video post.

What I heard next has shifted everything for me and I know it will for you too.

Before you hit play on this episode I want you to know why this episode is so important.

If you've been listening to Reframe to Create for any amount of time you know I always encourage you to create with your gifts as the key to reframing your entire relationship to work.

But if you've felt something is a little off for you it might be because of what Travis Lee Howard will dig up today.

Not knowing if you are the gift or the gift-giver might have led you into roles and positions that are misaligned with who you are at your core.

And you've probably been paying a hefty price for it.

But that can change today.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How to tell if you are the gift or the gift-giver?

• Why distinguishing which one you are is so important

• Key steps to take to get realigned according to which one you are

I really believe this episode may be just the thing you've needed to unlocked and make sense of your entire work experience and journey.

When you get your reframe be sure to reach out and let me know how this has impacted how you see who you are and what you'll do next.

About my guest:

Travis Lee Howard's career is a remarkable blend of entrepreneurship, leadership, and mindful management. From his early days in technology and law to his pioneering work in the cannabis industry and his current role as a coach and consultant, Travis's journey is marked by continuous growth and impactful contributions. His dedication to fostering innovation, compassion, and strategic excellence makes him a standout figure in the modern business landscape.

With over 20 years of entrepreneurial leadership experience, Travis coaches potential founders and entrepreneurs to reach their full potential through a simple paradigm. In teaching the mindful management pillars he works with his clients to tackle self, customer, machine, and team in a manner that aligns and inspires.

Contact Travis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisleehoward/

Reference Episodes

Reframe to Create Episode 85 - Your Challenge is Your Gift | Sandy Dang

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.

Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/